Radiative Aerothermodynamics of Entering Space Vehicles: Toward the Use of State-to-State Approach

Abstract

Modern problems of radiative aerothermodynamics of entering space vehicles are demonstrated and analyzed in the paper. New radiative gas dynamic problems concerned to coupling processes of non-equilibrium dissociation with radiation heat transfer in shock layers generated above large scale re-entry space vehicles returning from orbital and super orbital space mission are considered in the first part. Three-dimensional numerical simulation data on radiative aerothermodynamics of Martian entry probes Pathfinder, Exomars and Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) are presented and analyzed in the second part. It is shown that integral radiative heating of leeward surface of the entry probes exceeds corresponding convective heating. The third part is dedicated to consideration preliminary numerical simulation results on radiative gas dynamics of Galileo probes. At first, a review of the available results obtained during the mission preparation and post-flight analyses has been undertaken to select a computational matrix. This matrix has been selected by accounting for previous numerical efforts from the literature to crosscheck the results. Then, a model based on previous efforts has been set up for computing the flow-field around the probe at high altitude. Finally the test case matrix has been computed and crosschecked with existing numerical predictions performed. Some possibilities of innovative magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) technologies being applied to solve problems of re-entry vehicles heat protection are discussed in the fourth part. All presented data demonstrate necessity of further development of the radiative aerothermodynamics based on state-to- state approaches.